Grave-cover.



D. H. RANKIN 6L W. E. COX.

" GRAVE COVER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 19, 1912.

1,053,872, Patented Feb. 18,1913.

abita/suv DANIEL II. RANKIN AND WILLIAM E. coxyor'rrLnR, TEXAS.

GRAVE-COVER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 19, 1912. Serial No. 721,255.

Patented Feb. 18,1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, DANIEL H. RANKIN and VILLIAM E. Cox, citizens of the United States, residing at Tyler, in the county of Smith and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grave-Covers; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will lenable others skilled inthe art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention may be said to relate to undertaking, andl more especially to devices wherewith it .is intended to temporarily cover open graves; and the object of the same is to produce a grave cover of this kind, made by reference entirely of non-rusting metal, and) constructed in such manner that it may telescope in length so as to lit completely over a grave and prevent the necessity of filling the same in full view of the mourners-a. step in the average funeral which has its harrowing effect upon the latter. We do not wish to be limited, however, to the strict use of this device as above described. It is quite obvious that such a device could be employed for closing open trenches, as when a builderl digs a trench to put in a gas pipe or sewer, and on the point of leaving for the night he lnds that the weather is threatening; if he had a device of this kind, he could lay it over the trench, dig little gullies from its ends to the nearest low point, and depart confident that the neXt morning, even though it rained during the night, no substantial amount of water would stand in his open trench and retard a renewal of his operations until it had been bailed out. Also it is quite possible to use a cover of this character in many other ways,

from storms of hailstones or snow.

The invention is carried out in the manner hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and as shown in the drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a plan view of this improved grave cover, Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view thereof,l Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a perspective detail of one of the cross bars to be hereinafter referred to.

In the drawings the numeral ldesignates the main or intermediate section of this improved grave cover, which section is by prefnear the ends of preferably erence formed from a single piece of sheet metal such as zinc or galvanized or enameled iron, having a body bent into a half circle as best seen in Fig. 3, and its opposite edges turned inward into horizontal flanges 2 which might be called feet, and thence upward into narrower ianges 3; andthe numeral 4 designates cross bars, rods or braces of any sultable kind connecting these inner ianges 3 rigidly at points preferably this section.

Coacting with the main section are two end sections which are alike, and therefore a description of one will suffice for both. Each comprises a curved body 1l about half the length of and adapted to slide into the body of the main section 1, as seen in Fig. 3, flat inturned feet 12 along the edges of said body overlying the feet 2 of the main sec` tion, and upturned flanges 13 along the inner edges of the feet connected by a cross bar 14 whose ends are raised as shown at 15 so as to pass lover the upper edges of the i flanges 3 without making contact therewith and `connected to the upstanding flanges 13 by means of rivets 16. There is one cross bar 14 at the inner end of each end section 11, whereas there are by preference two cross bars 4 near the ends of the main section 1, the cross bars 14 being inside the other cross bars 4 as seen in Fig. 2. It foll lows that the end sections may be drawn out as shown at the right ofthis view until their cross bars 14 contact with the cross bars 4 of the main section, and no farther; or they may be pushed inward or telescoped within y the main section until they make contact with projections or stops 20 on the interior of said main section at the center of its i length, as seen aty the left of this view. as for covering tender plants to protect them As above stated, we propose to make the contour of this cover semi-circular 'as shown in the drawings, and we would bevel its Eends downwardly and outwardly. Therevice of niaterial which will not rust, such as galvanized iron, copper, or other metal suitable for this purpose.'

When this device is employed for covering a grave, the end sections are drawn out until the device measures possibly siX feet in length for the longest grave, or the end sections are telesco ed into the intermediate Section until the evice measures perhaps only two feet as for a childs grave. We would make the device of a standard width, or it is ossible that it could be made in two standar widths and each grave-yard equipped with two or perhaps more of these devices.

Attention is directed to the fact thatvwhen this device is employed to cover an open trench, and especially a grave, the "rather wide, horizontal flanges or feet 2 along lthe main section and 12 on the end sections rest upon the surface of the earth at either side of the trench, as shown in Fig. 3, so that,

even though the earth or grass is extremely wet, as from late rains, or is covered with snow, the edges of the several sections do not cut into it and snow or sleet or mud cannot enter between the sections where they telescope upon each other and freeze or clog the free use of the same. Furthermore, the upstanding inner flanges 3 and 13 prevent the accidental entrance of dirt, gravel, snow and ice, over the horizontal flanges or feet 2 and 12; and, although they necessitate the use of the raised ends 15 of the cross bars 14, we would prefer these innermost flanges as they assist in keeping the device clean.

What is claimed as new is:

l. The herein described cover for the purposes set forth, the same comprising sections raised along their transverse centers and having flat inturned Hanges along their side edges constituting feet, one section being slightly smaller than the next and telescopically mounted therein.

2. The herein described grave cover comprising sections raised along their transverse centers and havin flat int-urned flanges along their side e ges constituting feet and the inner edges of said feet having upstanding flanges, one sectionbeing slightly smaller than the next and telescopically mounted therein.

3. The herein described grave cover comprising a main section and two end sections, all arched along their transverse centers and the end sections being each about half Lotaava the length of and fitting telescopically with the main section and having their outer eX- tremities closed, the side edges of all sections having lat inturned flanges forming feet andthe feet provided with upstanding flanges at their inner edges, and the feet and flanges of the end sections sliding over those of the main section.

4. ln a grave cover, the combination with a main section comprisin -a semi-circular body provided along its side edges with Hat inturned feet and along the inner edges of said feet with upstanding lianges, and cross bars connecting said anges near the opposite ends of this section; of two end sections each comprising a curvedbodv having flat int-urned feet along its'side edges and npstanding flanges at the inner edges ofsaid feet whereby said section may telescope into I. the main sect-ion, a closed outer end provided with a handle, and a cross bar connecting the flanges near the inner end of this section and having its body standing in the same plane as the cross bars of this main section and its ends upturned over the flanges thereof.

5. In a grave cover, the combination with a main section comprisin a semi-circular body provided along its side edges with fiat inturned feet and along the inner edges of said feet with upstanding flanges, cross bars connecting said flanges near the opposite ends of this section, and studs on the interior of this section at the center of its length; of two end sections each comprising a curved body having tlat inturned feet along its side edges and upstanding flanges at the inner edges of said feet whereby said section may telescope into the main section, the outer end of each section bein cut of oblique and the corresponding en of the main section cut oli on a parallel line, a plate closing the outer end of the end section, aI

,handle thereon, and a cross bar connecting the flan es near the inner end of this section an having its body standing in the! same plane and the cross bars of the main section and its ends upturned over the danges thereof.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing Witnesses:

WILL NIBLAGK, F. S. ZAOHERY. 

